Käbi Laretei
Käbi Alma Laretei (14. VII 1922 – 31. X 2014, Stockholm) was a pianist and prose writer of Estonian origin who lived in Sweden and wrote in Swedish, but concentrated greatly on her Estonian roots in her writing.
She was born in Tartu into the family of the diplomat Heinrich Laretei. She began her music studies at the Tallinn Conservatoire; from 1940 she was a refugee in Sweden at her parents’ home. In Sweden she took private lessons in music, and then continued her studies in Switzerland, where she graduated from the Basel Conservatoire in 1947. She began her concert career in 1946 in Stockholm, achieving international recognition as a pianist. From 1959 to 1969 she was married to the Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman, on whose films she collaborated musically (Autumn Sonata, 1978), as well as playing some minor roles (Fanny and Alexander, 1982). She was also a member of the Swedish Writers’ Union. She died in Stockholm.
In 1970 she began her writing career in Swedish periodicals, initially writing short stories, which later appeared in a book, Vem spelar jag för? (‘For Whom Am I Playing?’). That book became Käbi Laretei’s literary debut.
The main theme in Laretei’s work is exile and the search for roots: identity, along with memories of pre-war Estonia. Her works glow with the compositional flourishes of musicals and films. One subject that she treats in her autobiographical works is the vocation and freedom of the artist, the passion of art. The inspiring influence of Ingmar Bergman can be seen here. The tragic events of history which affected Käbi Laretei’s personal life are constantly reflected in her literary work.
Most of Käbi Laretei’s works have been translated into Estonian.
A. Mv (Translated by C. M.)
Books in Swedish
Vem spelar jag för?. Stockholm: Bonnier, 1970, 136 pp.
En bit jord. Stockholm: Bonnier, 1970, 258 pp.
Tulpanträdet. Stockholm: Bonnier, 1983, 186 lk.
Virvlar och spår. Stockholm: Bonnier, 1987, 165 lk.
En förlorad klang. Stockholm: Bonnier, 1991, 258 lk.
Såsom i en översättning. Teman med variationer. Stockholm: Bonnier, 2004, 382 lk.
Vart tog all denna kärlek vägen?. Stockholm: Norstedts, 2009, 117 lk. [2nd ed: 2010.]
Toner och passioner = Ludus tonalis. Stockholm: Norstedts, 2010, 201 lk.
Books in Estonian
Peotäis mulda, lapike maad. Tõlkinud Anu Saluäär, Tallinn: Perioodika (Loomingu Raamatukogu), 1989, 173 lk. [‘En bit jord’. Kordustrükk: 1995.]
Mineviku heli. Tõlkinud Anu Saluäär. Tallinn: Perioodika (Loomingu Raamatukogu), 1992, 141 lk. [‘En förlorad klang’. Kordustrükk: 1995.]
Seal kodus – siin võõrsil; Peotäis mulda, lapike maad; Mineviku heli. Tõlkinud Anu Saluäär. Tallinn: Kupar, 1995, 445 lk.
Eksiil. Intervjuu Urmas Otile; Kellele ma mängin?; Keerised ja jäljed. Tõlkinud Irja Kiisküla ja Anu Saluäär. Tallinn: SE & JS, 1997, 290 lk.
Tulbipuu. Tõlkinud Maimu Evéguoz-Laretei ja Jüri Reinvere. Tallinn: Kunst, 1997, 195 lk. [‘Tulpanträdet’.]
Vihmapiisad ja kuupaiste. Esseed muusikast. Tõlkinud Anu Saluäär, Kristi Sinka ja Kristiina Tedremaa. Autoriseeritud tõlke toimetaja Anu Saluäär. Tallinn: SE & JS, 2002, 239 lk. [Kordustrükk: 2005].
Keerised & jäljed. Kogutud proosa. Tallinn: SE & JS, 2003, 830 lk.
Otsekui tõlkes. Teema variatsioonidega. Tõlkinud Anu Saluäär. Tallinn: Tänapäev, 2005, 375 lk. [‘Såsom i en översättning. Teman med variationer’.]
Kuhu kadus kõik see armastus?. Ingmari kirjad Käbile aastaist 1957–2001. Päevik. Taskukalender. Tõlkinud Anu Saluäär. Tallinn: SE & JS, 2008, 215 lk. [‘Vart tog all denna kärlek vägen?’.]
Ludus tonalis. Kirg. Tõlkinud Anu Saluäär. Tallinn: SE & JS, 2010, 213 lk. [‘Toner och passioner = Ludus tonalis’.]
Okas ja Käbi. Tallinn: SE&JS, 2012, 127 lk.
Mahagonipuust tiibklaver. Koostanud Sirje Endre, tõlkinud Anu Saluäär. Tallinn: SE&JS, 2015, 173 lk.
